Wonderful Regular Old Boring

I didn't take any pictures this week. That is so unlike me! I'm sure we'll make up for it next weekend when we go on an adventure with Lismarie and family! Woooot!!! (Lismarie and I tried to coordinate a spring-break vacation, but our kids spring breaks were in totally different months. And no where near Easter. So instead we're ditching our lives for a few days and driving to someplace warm. It will be fabulous.)

There's a dangerous new store in the mall. And since the mall is a quick walk across the street, we go there a lot. They sell...

PUPPIES!!!!

I know, I know, it's horrible every way. Who knows what kind of breeder they came from, they're stuck in little cages all day, and there are so many dogs in shelters that need homes (plus they're all "purebred". I like muts. Purebreds are always so high strung and inbred. But wiener dogs are awesome. And puggles. And boxers. And Siberian Huskies. And I want to take them all home, even though the store smells like dog pee. A lot. Shoot, puppies have some sort of strange magical cuteness to make me overlook that smell.) The girls and I want a dog. But we're not going to get one till we have a house. Cause bringing a dog into this tiny apartment would just be mean.

An amazing thing happened this week, I finished the last work project on my list of projects. I sat down at my desk to ponder the rest of the week. It's been so long since I've had a free day to work on whatever whim wandered into my mind. Oh the possibilities! I could work on the fairy tale I started a year ago. I could work on the music theory board book Aunt Ne & I are putting together. I could map out a craft book idea that's been bouncing around in my head for the past 3 years. I decided to quickly check my email. My free time lasted LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. I'd finally heard back on the set of sketches I was waiting for & now before we leave town I'll be finishing the 59-spot illustration job! But after Friday, I really SHOULD be done with my projects again. Till the next one. (Not that I'm complaining, I'm grateful for the work. Especially jobs like this with a big fat paycheck at the end. Oh how I love getting paid!)

So what have you been up to? Do share!!!

Video Proof

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey.

How was your week? Ours was stylish:



(She actually picked her ensemble herself. Don't the white cowgirl boots bring it together?)

And to prove that we don't neglect our other child, here's a picture of Ella at dance class.



But then here's another one of Gretchen. (I like this picture because it looks like someone took out all those Dancing Cowgirls. But they're just sleeping, dreaming Cowgirl Dreams.)


I really tried to whittle down my videos of the class, but I couldn't. I really won't blame you if you don't want to watch them. But SO CUTE, right? I KNOW!









In defiance of all this girliness, Gretchen decided yesterday to be a boy. She wore some elastic-bottomed navy sweat pants, vans, and a Bob Marley t-shirt (which is also known as the "Scary Man" shirt at our house, since they're both slightly terrified of Bob Marley's picture. They feel so brave when they wear that shirt). She was known as "Buddy", and she corrected me many times when I slipped and called her Gretchen.

Last Christmas I dragged my Hammered Dulcimer out from it's hiding place under my bed. I usually only pull it out once a year at Christmas to play for the Relief Society. But this year I got asked to play again in January. And it's been out since then. In years past I've had to keep it either hidden away or hung high up on the wall, but it seems we've reached a milestone. I CAN KEEP MY DULCIMER OUT NOW. The girls totally respect it. It probably helps that I let them play it whenever they ask nicely. I taught Ella a few basics & then how to play "Twinkle Little Star". She was so proud of herself, she had me write a note to her music teacher to see if she could do a demonstration at school. And kindly enough, her teacher obliged. (It just happened to be Celtic Music week!) Ella did GREAT!



That's about it for us. And I promise I won't post any dance pictures next week. Really.
xo

No Name Post

Sorry we've been MIA for a few weeks. The 32 page book is completed. PHEW. It was a lot of late nights, Colby on dinner duty (which was delicious & much appreciated), and me having to just not care about anything else for a little while except for the girls & work. And also, one little breakdown on Tuesday. But I'm mostly all better now (I'm not ready to quit everything at the moment. I'm trying not to think about how much time church takes. Quitting church needs to get out of my mind. I would be sad about it later. You know, after the 20 naps I would have time for once I freed up all that mental space my calling occupies...)

I'm still waiting to hear back on the 59 spot job. And when I do, I'm going to be sucked under again. So lets enjoy this little bit of sanity while we can.



Here's Gretchen at a cookie decorating party before V-day.



At another super fun Valentines day party...



..and with her face painted like a tiger on "T" day at preschool this week.

I brought my old camera to the Amazing Dance Class this week, but it was out of batteries. So alas, I don't have any awesome video of Gretchen & Ella in cowgirl outfits dancing with lassos. But it's cowgirl month ALL MARCH. So Grandparents, since I'm sure you're the only ones who really care, STAY TUNED.

Random Cuteness:
Gretchen and Ella are sitting in the car. Gretchen is staring intently at Ella.
Ella: Why are you looking at me?
Gretchen: (Yelling with Gretchen-like intensity) BECAUSE I LOVE YOU.

Gretchen gets in trouble.
Gretchen says to us: I AM NOT HAPPY TO YOU RIGHT NOW.

Ella & I are singing, "Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin' Clementine...."
Ella: When was this song written?
Me: A long, long time ago?
Ella: Like in 1983?
(Wikipedia says more like 1883... "The words are those of a bereaved lover singing about his darling, the daughter of a miner in the 1849 California Gold Rush. He loses her in a drowning accident, though he consoles himself towards the end of the song with Clementine's "little sister".

The verse about the little sister was often left out of folk song books intended for children, presumably because it seemed morally questionable." Hee hee! Good call.)

And lastly, my Random Parenting Discovery: Ella wants to play with me constantly. CONSTANTLY. And though I love my children, whenever I sit down to play with them, all I can think about is the millions of things I need to do. This is silly. No task is more important that spending some quality time with the girls. So to trick myself into being "present" for the barbie drama/playdough birthday party/medical doll crisis, I set the timer for 20 - 25 minutes. It totally works. When I know that the baby-doll drama will end eventually, it's so much easier to immerse myself in it. (Also, I can't lay down or I will fall asleep. So I can only play while sitting up.)

Do you have any Random Parenting Discoveries to share?